Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

                                                                                       Chapter 21

                                                                        Alex's Very Exhausting Day

     Max still sat in his lazy chair, but with his newspaper now is his lap and his head drooped to one side, fast asleep.  Janeen was watching television with a small basket of clothes that she was mending sitting in her lap.  Lyn looked up at Alex when he came in, while she and her friends continued their monopoly game.

     She watched her brother as he walked sleepily into the kitchen to get a drink.  "Hey Mom!" Alex called.  "Anna's coming over to watch a movie tonight.  Okay?"  "Sure dear," his mother said, not taking her eyes from the T.V. screen.  Alex looked quickly at Lyn and her buddies to see if there was a reaction to his news.

But Lyndell and the others didn't give any indication of concern about what they had just heard.  Alex frowned at them, which they also ignored.  As he stood at the kitchen counter watching them he asked, "Lyn.  What are you and your friends doing with the rest of your day?"  All five kids on the floor looked up at him.

     "I don't know," Lyn said, glancing at the others.  "I have to be home at three o'clock," Michael told him.  "Uncle Frank, Amy's dad is taking me fishing.  "I have to go see my Aunt Sadie," Kent said in a distasteful tone.  "What about you, Amy and Nikki?"  Alex persisted.  "We're spending the night here again," the girls chorused.

     "Well...." Lyn started.  "I guess I'm spending the evening with Amy and Nikki," she said giggling.  Just then the house phone next to Janeen rang.  "Hello."....."Yes he's here.  Michael, it's your aunt."  "Okay," Michael said, jumping up and the taking the phone that Janeen handed him.  "Hi Auntie!...."Now?"...."Okay I'll be right there," Michael said as he put the phone back on the hook.

     "I have to go!" he told his friends.  "Uncle Frank's ready to go now."  "Have fun!" the gang chimed.  "Thanks.  Bye!"  Michael shouted, grabbing up his jacket.  "Bye dear!" Janeen said with a wave.  "Bye.  Thanks for letting me come over!"  he said, racing out the door.  "Well, let's call it quits," Lyn said, gathering up the game pieces.

     "You know.  I think I'll run and catch up with Michael," Kent said,  "If I can go with him I won't have to go see Aunt Sadie," he finished, with a relieved look on his freckled face.  "Bye!" Kent hollered running for the door.  Everyone chimed a goodbye.  "Well, it looks like it's just us girls....and Alex,"  Lyn said laughing.  Nikki and Amy joined in.  "Ha. Ha." Alex said grumpily.

     He moved to the archway between the kitchen and living room and watched the girls put the little houses and hotels in their bags, and pick up the rest and then put everything in the box.  The two of them aren't going to go chasing the mystery at Miss Rigby's house without their co-erts Michael and Kent.  Alex reasoned.

     "Want to play a video game?"  Lyn asked Amy and Nikki.  "Sure," they chimed as Lyn was putting the lid back on the box which contained the monopoly game.  Then Lyn put the game in the hall closet and she and the girls went to the family room.   Alex thought for a moment. He could ask if the girls wouldn't mind him playing the video game with them.  That way they wouldn't be able to plot anything behind his back.   But after another minutes thought and a big yawn he decided against it.

     Instead, Alex made his way to the sofa, sat down and joined his mother in watching the T.V. show Jeopardy.  Lyn suddenly appeared under the archway and said, "Alex.  You want to play video games with us?"  Alex blinked at her in surprise that she would suggest that.  "Uh, thanks sis, but I'm beat."  Alex said, giving her a grin.

     "Okay.  Just thought I'd ask," Lyn said, rushing back down the hallway.  "What's going on around here today?"  Janeen asked.  "First, you treat Lyn and her friends to golfing.  And now Lyn ask you to play video games with her and her friends.  You two take a bunch of nice pills today?" his mother ended.  Janeen expected a laugh, but instead, "You know, that is odd that she would ask me to play," Alex said with a frown.  His mother just shook her head at him with a smirk on her face.

     Lyn shut the family room door behind her and took her place on the couch between Amy and Nikki, who both held controllers and were playing "Mario Brothers."  "What did he say?"  Amy asked.  Lyn grinned.  "He said he was beat.  If the way he looks now is any indication, he should sleep like a baby tonight."

     "It was helpful that your Uncle Frank took Michael fishing, and Kent either went with them or had to go to Aunt Sadie's," Nikki told Amy.  "Yeah," Amy agreed.  "Yep. That really threw Alex off," Lyn said.  He must be feeling pretty good since two of our members are gone.  He probably figures we girls wouldn't go chasing a mystery without the other two.  I know him.  So I'm sure he thought we'd be plotting all day today as to when we could go over to  Miss Rigby's," Lyn said with a grin.

     "Did you two see Alex watching us all day as if we would announce that we planned to go to Miss Rigby's tonight?"  Amy said with a laugh.  "You don't think he's listening outside the door do you?"  Nikki asked nervously. "No.  That's not his style," Lyn answered, with an amused expression on her face.

     "No. You're right.  That's your specialty Lyn, isn't it?"  Amy said, with a sly grin.  "Yes it is.  And aren't you glad," Lyn said, shaking a finger at her.  "So the plan is, we sneak out of the house after your parents and Alex are asleep.  Right?" Nikki asked her.  "I hope we can pull this off.  If we're caught, we'll be grounded for life,"  Amy told Lyn.

     "What about Alex?"  Nikki said.  "Won't he be expecting us to do something like this?"  "He might.  But did you take a good look at him?  He looks like he could fall asleep any minute," Lyn said, laughing again.  "What if he takes a nap before Anna comes over?"  Amy asked her.  Lyn thought for a moment.

     "You're right.  We have to think of a way to keep him up.  "How?" Nikki asked.  "Let me think," Lyn said with her head cradle in her hands.  She had a pensive stare on her face for ten minutes, when suddenly she said, "I've got it!"  And she jump up.  "What?"  Amy squealed.  "Come with me," Lyn said, leading the girls down the hallway.

     "Just go along with everything I say," Lyn whispered as they came to the end of the hall.  "Okay," Amy and Nikki said in unison.... apprehensively.  "Hey Alex!" Lyn hollered at him from the archway.  Alex was resting his head on the back of the sofa with his hazel eyes closed.  But he jerked his head up when he heard Lyn's call.

     "Huh?"  Alex muttered, his lids half closed.  Lyn hurried over and sat down beside him.  Alex stared at her as though in a trance.  "I want to take you to dinner for being so nice and taking us all golfing today," Lyn said beaming at him.  Her mother looked as though she were about to cry at Lyn's generosity to her brother.

     "I'll use my allowance I've saved up," she added.  "Aw, that's sweet sis, but I'm so tired I can't keep my eyes open."  "Oh please Alex," Lyn begged.  "It would mean so much to me."  Her brother looked at her pleading face and folded.  "Oh, all right," he said.  Then their mother chimed in with a big smile on her face, "I'll tell you what, your father and I will treat all of you."

     "Is that all right Lyndell?"  Janeen asked her.  "Sure Mom.  That's great!  Thanks.  We'll go get dressed."  And then Lyn, Amy and Nikki ran off to her bedroom.  Once inside Amy turned to her friend and said, "You're sneaky."  Lyn laughed and said,  "One can't live with Alex Bishop and not learn a trick or two."

                                                                                End of Chapter 21